Mild quake in Haiti sparks panic, seven injured

PORT-AU-PRINCE—A small tremor struck the Haitian capital Friday morning, and seven people suffered minor injuries when they were caught up in panicking crowd, the director of the city’s public hospital said.

Haiti is still recovering from a devastating earthquake which struck Port-au-Prince 18 months ago, by most accounts leaving more than 200,000 dead and a million homeless.

Friday’s tremor registered 3.5 on the Moment magnitude scale, according to the US Geological Survey, considered a light earthquake.

Last year’s quake, which struck on January 12, registered 7.0 and left the city in ruins.

“We have admitted seven injured people, including a seven-year-old, two university students, two primary students and two young adults,” Alix Lassegue, who directs the Port au Prince public hospital, told AFP.

The quake occurred around 9 am (1400 GMT) and was felt in several neighborhoods in central Port au Prince and the administrative buildings at the airport, according to witnesses.

Panicked residents fled their offices and homes, running into the streets.

The USGS, which monitors earthquakes worldwide, said the quake’s epicenter was 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the capital at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).